Oilers Declaw Falcons In First Round Of Boras Classic
Otto Espinoza stays hot with a seven strikeout performance, while Trevor Goldenetz provides pop with clutch two-run double
The Huntington Beach Oilers (7-0) punch their ticket to the Boras Classic Quarterfinals by virtue of a 4-1 win against the Aquinas Falcons (5-1) Tuesday morning from Mater Dei High School. The Oilers stay undefeated once again to begin the 2025 season and are now only two wins away from matching the start of 2017 (9-0) and securing a bid in the Boras Classic finals. Senior Otto Espinoza diced up the Falcons starting lineup with seven strikeouts in five innings of scoreless ball, which now extends his scoreless streak to 11.2 innings (dating back to March 12 vs. Fountain Valley). Reliever Jared Marchbank, who failed to record an out last Friday versus Marina, bounced back and locked down a two-inning save, yielding just one run and a pair of strikeouts.
After a slow start the first time around the order, the Oilers bats heated up in the middle three frames. Capitalizing on a throwing error in the third to garner the first run and a 1-0 lead, outfielder Trevor Goldenetz tagged some insurance runs in the fourth with a bases-loaded two-run double to right field, plating Jared Grindlinger and Matt Haidl. Owne Bone would pick up an RBI thanks to a perfectly timed squeeze bunt, scoring pinch runner Trenton Ramirez.
With today's first round victory, the Oilers have a rematch set tomorrow against the La Mirada Matadores, who won their respective matchup versus Birmingham Patriots (7-0). Huntington Beach and La Mirada will now meet for the third straight year following a split of the last two matchups, Oilers winning in 2023 to open up the Boras Classic and the Matadores last year in the CIF Regional Semifinals. Tournament play will begin at 3 PM from Mater Dei High School with the pregame show beginning at 2:45 PM on hbhsathletics.mixlr.com.
Oilers Scoring Plays:
Top 3: Trent Grindlinger reaches on Throwing Error, Ethan Porter Scores (1-0 HB)
Top 4: Trevor Goldenetz Doubles to RF, Jared Grindlinger & Matt Haidl Scores (3-0, HB)
Top 5: Owen Bone Sacrifice Bunt, Trenton Ramirez Scores (4-0, HB)
Stars of the Game:
Otto Espinoza: 5 IP, 0 ER, 7 K (W)
Trevor Goldenetz: 1-3, 2 RBI
Ethan Porter: 1-2, R, 2 BB
Jared Marchbank: 2 IP, 1 ER, 2 K (SV)
Following the Boras Baseball Classic (March 25-28), the Oilers will return to Sunset League action Tuesday, April 1, as they hit the road to kick off a three-game series against the Corona Del Mar SeaKings. You can listen to the game on hbhsathletics.mixlr.com with the "Voice of the Oilers" Dominick Lorenz, beginning at 3:00 PM with the pregame show followed by first pitch at 3:15 PM!
LISTEN TO HUNTINGTON BEACH VS. AQUINAS FALCONS HIGHLIGHTS HERE (CLICK IMAGE BELOW):
